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This is predicated on the idea that new computers are meaningfully better, when they generally aren't for most of us. I want a new computer, but I go shopping

This is predicated on the idea that new computers are meaningfully better, when they generally aren't for most of us. I want a new computer, but I go shopping and here's what I see: They don't have any more RAM than they did... 10 years ago. Maybe it's marginally faster RAM on paper. They run software that used to run in 0.9ms in 0.72ms and no one cares. It's all instant to me. The graphics got better, but not hugely so. 2015 GPUs still run... everything, unless you have some particular need for VR or something. I could buy a new computer tonight, but why? To do the same stuff at the same speed? I'll buy a new computer when they do something new, or something substantially better. I keep thinking that's a few months away, but it never happens.

nbaksalyar 4y ago
> They don't have any more RAM than they did... 10 years ago What do you mean? Today, building a desktop PC with 64GB or even 128GB of RAM on board is affordable. 10 years ago it was 8GB or 16GB at most. > They run software that used to run in 0.9ms in 0.72ms and no one cares. It's all instant to me. Maybe that's true for single-core performance, but nowadays you can get a 16-core CPU at home which I think is mindblowing. It's very beneficial for tasks such as compilation or rendering and can save you minutes (and it adds up). > The graphics got better, but not hugely so. 2015 GPUs still run... everything In my opinion, the difference between 2015 and 2022 is quite drastic. You can buy a display with an 8K resolution, 4K + 144hz, QD-OLED. All of these make a huge difference and they weren't available or affordable back in 2015. That's only speaking of productivity; for graphics in games, have you seen Unreal Engine 5 demos? And that's just a start of the next generation!